he will not rest till he hath againe reuiued and quickened vs with his holy spirite Moreouer our Sauiour hath saide Math. 12.20 that hee will not breake the bruised reed nor quench the smoking flaxe Matth. 12.20 but he will support our weakenesse with his almighty power so that though with the reed we be borne downe to the ground with the boysterous blastes of Sathans tentations yet we shal be raised vp againe Psal 37.24 according to that Psal 37.24 Though hee fall he shall not be cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand and he will blow vpon vs with the breath of his holy spirit till he turne our small smoke to a great flame which shall neuer bee quenched by all the malice of our spirituall enemies So Matth. 13.12 our Sauiour Christ hath promissed Math. 13.12 that whosoeuer hath to him it shal be giuen and he shall haue aboundance Neither doth he limit or define any quantitie lesse or more but indefinitely promisseth aboundant increase euen vnto the least so farre is he from taking away that which he hath once bestowed And whereas wee through our weakenesse and frailenesse are easily cast downe and fall away and therefore haue good cause if we should onely looke vpon our infirmities to doubt and despaire of perseuerance yet in respect of Gods omnipotent power watchfull prouidence and promissed assistance wee may confirme our selues in faith hope and certaine assurance of continuing vnto the end for the Lord vpholdeth all that are falling and lifteth vp those who are already downe as the Psalmist speaketh Psal 145.14 Psal 145.14 the power of God is manifested in our weakenesse 2. Cor. 12.9 his riches in our beggerlinesse his mercy and goodnesse in our frailenesse and manifold corruptions and with his holy spirit hee helpeth our infirmities as it is Rom. 8.26 Ro. 8.26 Wee haue not an high priest which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all things tempted in like sort yet without sinne and therfore he is able sufficiently to haue compassion on them that are ignorant and out of the way because that hee also was compassed with our infirmities and the apostle reasoneth Heb. 4.15 5.2 Heb. 4.15 and 5.2 § Sect. 5 Secondly it appeareth manifestly by Gods workes The formen point illustrated by examples administration and practise that he wil not depriue any of that sanctifying grace which he hath once bestowed though the measure thereof be neuer so small neither can we obserue either by our reading the whole booke of God or by our owne experience that any man hauing receiued the least graine of true faith hath vtterly beene depriued of it and reiected of God Euen the disciples themselues when they were reprooued for their little faith were by him strengthened and confirmed so that all the power of hell could not preuaile against it and though Sathan indeauoured to sift them as wheate yet Christs intercession was more mightie to defend them then the diuell to destroye them and his intercession a stronger propp to vphould them then the waight of Sathans tentations to ouerthrow and bring them to ruine so he who cryed out I beleeue Lord helpe thou my vnbeliefe though his faith was weak yet it perished not but rather receiued a greater increase Yea he reiected not Thomas in his wilfull doubting and obstinate incredulitie but offered all occasions of confirming his weake faith and neuer ceased till hee had fully assured him of his resurrection In a word all the saintes of God at one time or other haue had experience of this mercy power and goodnesse of God in supporting their weaknesse vphoulding them in their great infirmities and in raysing them when they were fallen to the ground and to this end our Sauiour was annointed by Gods spirite vnto the office of his mediation that hee should preach the gospell vnto the poore heale the broken harted that he should preach deliuerance vnto captiues and recouerie of sight to the blind and set at libertie them that are brused Luk. 4.18 Luk. 4.18 To this ende hee had familiar society with the fraile and weake with those who had little faith that he might increase it and no faith that he might begett it with publicanes and sinners and men full of infirmities to this purpose he calleth such as thirst and hunger feeling their owne emptinesse of grace and earnestly desiring to bee filled and satisfied and such also as labour and are heauie laden with the vnsupportable waight of their corruptions promising that hee will ease them lastly to this end he hath ordayned the ministerie of the worde and administration of the sacraments not only to beget faith where it is not but to nourish and increase it where it is weake and feeble and therefore though our faith be neuer so weake and small let not Sathan perswade vs that therefore it shall bee ouerthrowne and turned into infidelitie for the Lord hath assured vs both by his gratious promises in his word and also by the performance thereof in his works from the beginning to this day that where hee hath giuen the least measure of faith or any other sanctifying grace there he will also increase strengthen and confirme it and where he hath begunne any good worke there hee will finish and perfect it notwithstanding our fraile weaknesse and the forcible violence of all our spirituall enemies CHAP. XLVIII Of our iustification ANd so much concerning those tentations of Sathan which he suggesteth to the end that hee may frustrate our effectuall calling § Sect. 1 Of the efficient cause of our iustification Rom. 8.30 The next subordinate cause and means of our saluation is our iustification for whomsoeuer the Lord effectually calleth those also he iustifieth as it is Rom. 8.30 In speaking whereof I will first shew what it is and afterwards answere such tentations of Sathan as he suggesteth into our mindes to the end that hee may infringe the doctrine of iustification and make it vaine and vnprofitable vnto vs. For the first Iustification is an action orworke of the whole trinitie the father sonne and holy ghost whereby God gratiously and freely imputing vnto euery faithfull man the righteousnesse and obedience of Christ the mediatour doth accept of him and pronounce him to be iust and righteous for the glorie of his name and saluation of the beleeuer The efficiēt cause of our iustificatiō is God alone as appeareth by manifest testimonies Esa 43.25 I Esa 43.25 Ezec. 16.8 euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes So Ezech. 16.8 The Lord thus speaketh to his church and people I spread my skirts ouer thee and couered thy filthinesse 9. Then I washed thee with water yea I washed away thy bloud from thee and annointed thee with oyle 10. Rom. 4.5 and 8.33 Psal 51.4 I clothed thee with broydred worke c. whereby he signifieth
purposeth presently to publish his Lectures vpon the 15 Psalme wherin this controuersie is largely and much more excellently handled and determined than I was any waies able to haue written of it Notwithstanding if my book seeme maimed in respect of this defect if I see it be desired that it should be intire and full in it self I will hereafter most willingly supplie that which yet is wanting if I perceiue that my labours are approoued as profitable for the Church of God In the meane time I commend them to Gods blessing who onely is able by the assistance of his holy spirit to make them effectuall for those ends for which I intended them he being the sole fountaine of all true comfort and consolation desiring the Christian reader who shal finde fruite and profit by these my labours that as I haue not been wanting vnto him in my paines and best endeuours so he will not be wanting to remember me in his prayers vnto Almightie God for the continuance increase and holie vse of all his gifts and graces which hee hath bestowed on me To this God most wise most gracious and most infinite in all perfections the Father Sonne and Holie Ghost be ascribed all glorie praise power and dominion both now and euermore Amen FINIS Christian Reader because there was some haste required in printing of this booke part thereof from pag. 371 to pag. 578 was committed to another Printer who wanting a Corrector suffred these faults to escape which are materiall As for others which are apparant at the first view I haue left vnobserued THE ERRATA Pag. 25. line 14. reade must needes be pag. 48 l. 13. r. anothers p. 371. l. 4. r. fleshy p. 375. l. 6. r. repeateth p. 378. l. 13 r. thinke ye p. 391. l. 30. r. selues p. 396. l. 5. r. all accompany p. 399. l. 29. r. goodly shewes l. 34. r. health p. 405. l. 6. r. also haue them p. 408. l. 23. r. mocke repentance p. 409. l 3. r. doe not l. 12. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 412. r. he freeth those p. 418. l. 4. r. Ho euery l. 18. r. and that he will l. 24. r. and with all his heart desireth to be p. 420. l 4 5. r is properly to God p. 425. l. 24. r. as of himself vnwilling l. 27. r. hainous no more then p. 427. l 5. r. mercies The. l. 27. r. hainous no more then p 438. l. 29. r and rest p. 440. l. 18. r. Lord mercie p. 442. l 22. r. Ho euery p. 446. l 31. r. if when we were p. 449. l. 10. r. that he who for l. 30. r. of his bountie p 451 l. 27. r. honour and glorie p. 455. l. 6. r. and now he p. 463. l. 30. r. true in thesi yet false in hypothesi p. 473. l. 26. r. powerfully l. 33. ministerie p. 474. l. 4. r. ministerie p. 475. l. 22. r. and meere cluill p. 477. l. 10. r. and though l. 13. r. entertaine it p. 479. l 32. r. the hond of this lin last r. works of sanctification p. 481. l. 10. r. so the branches p. 484. l. 5. r. it seareth p. 486. l. 4. r. seared l. 29. r. sight and feeling p. 487. l. 24. r. with an hard p. 501. l. 29. r. in God at al. p. 507. l. 34. r. may seeme to be p. 510. l. 30. r. truly sorie l. 36. r. the case p. 514. l. 25. r. destruction but. p. 522. l. 1. r. vanquished l. 10. r. striuing p. 526. l. 8. r. similitudes l. 19. r. moueth and p. 531. l. 20. r. the 5 verse p. 538. l. 10. r. vp vntill it l. 19. r. hauing any p. 540. l. 7. r. more strong p. 553. l. 29. r. almes aswell as l. 33. r. strong Our p. 557. l. 9. r. seene him p. 566. l. 13. r. one oblation lin 21. r. where ho p. 569. l. 7. r. and iudged lin 8.1 his owne p. 571. l. 26. r. imaginarie p. 574. l. 7. r. Apostle p. 578. l. 19. r. necessarily
and raising vp of a most faithfull seruant of God and my most deare friend who hath bound me with many benefits to the performance of all christian duties But afterwards finding it to grow to such a volume that it was too great to passe in a written coppie and hoping that that which was profitable for one might bee beneficiall vnto many at length I resolued to make my labours publike by committing them to the presse The principall things that I propounded to my selfe in this treatise are these first and especially I indeauour to comfort those who are afflicted in conscience in the sight and sence of their sinnes by offering vnto them certaine assurance that their sinnes are remitted and that themselues are elected to eternall life in the state of grace reconciled vnto God in Christ and receiued in his loue and fauour Secondly I labour to leade the christian in an euen course vnto the hauen of eternall happinesse that he may not runne aside neither on the right hand and so falling vpon the rockes of presumption make shipwracke of his soule nor yet on the left hand and so plunge himselfe into the gulfe of desperation Wherein I haue purposely and aduisedly auoyded their practise who scatter their consolations they know not where to bee applyed they care not by whom whereof it commeth to passe that those that are most secure and presumptuous arrogate them to whom they doe not appertaine and those that are afflicted and humbled dare not appropriate them to themselues because they are deliuered indefinitly to all without all caution or any condition whereby they might bee restraiâ—ed rather to them than any other in whom sinne yet liueth and raigneth Wherein they resemble negligent physitions who hauing made a good medicine for a sicke man doe not giue it vnto him but cast it carelesly into some corner whether the sicke patient in respect of his faintnesse and weakenesse is likely neuer to come which being found and greedily drunken vp by those who haue no neede of it in stead of doing them good doth turne to their baine and vtter destruction Lastly I haue desired to giue solid and substantiall consolations which are firmely grounded vpon Gods vndoubted truth and such infallible reasons as cannot bee gainsaid and haue withall deliuered the conditions vpon which they are to be receiued and the vndoubted signes and markes of those to whom of right they appertaine to the end that those who finde these things in themselues may not doubt to apply them to their wounded consciences whereby they may bee soundly cured and throughly comforted and that those who finde no such condition obserued by them nor any such signe or marke in them may be debarred from participating of these consolations which would nourish in them securitie and presumption and contrariwise examining themselues according to these rules and finding no correspondencie betweene themselues and them may hereby be awakened out of their lethargie of securitie and attaining vnto a sight and sense of their miserable estate may neuer be at rest till by vsing all good meanes for this purpose they may finde these markes and signes of their election vocation iustification and sanctification in them that so they may boldly and fitly apply vnto themselues these comforts and consolations as rightly and truly appertaining vnto them All which my labours I thought good to dedicate vnto your worships partly because I desired to giue this testimonie of my true thankefulnesse for those manifold benefits which from some of you I haue receiued and of mine vnfained loue which I beare to you all for your vertues and approued godlinesse and partly because I thought none fitter to whom I might commend this discourse of the Christian Warfare than your selues who are olde experienced souldiars in fighting these spirituall battailes and therefore haue iudiciall feeling and sensible apprehension of those things which I haue written and commended to your patronage Now the Lord our God who is the fountaine of all goodnesse and the sole giuer of all true consolation increase in you more and more the gifts and graces of his sanctifying spirit and so fill your hearts with all sound spirituall comfort and the ioy in the holy Ghost that you may through the course of your whole liues chearefully goe forward in the profession and sincere practise of his religion and true godlinesse and after this life may receiue that crowne of righteounsnesse which is prepared and laid vp for you in his kingdome of eternall glorie Amen Your Worships in the Lord most assured IOHN DOVVNAME THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE THE CHIEFE POINTS HANDLED in the first Booke CHAP. I. THat all Gods seruants are assaulted with the spirituall enemies of their saluation pag. 1 That the strong faith whereof worldlings boast is nothing els but securitie and vaine presumption pag. 3.4 That Gods seruants may rather be comforted than dismaied by the assaults of their spirituall enemies pag. 6 CHAP. II. Why God suffreth his seruants to be exercised in the spirituall conflict of temptations namely for his owne glorie and their euerlasting good pag. 7 CHAP. III. Arguments to encourage the weake Christian to enter into this spirituall conflict pag. 10 CHAP. IIII. Of the malice of our spirituall enemie Sathan ioyned with violence and falshood and how we may withstand it pag. 16 CHAP. V. Of his strength courage and audaciousnesse and how wee may withstand them pag. 23 CHAP. VI. Of Sathans aides and first of the world pag. 31 How the world tempteth by prosperitie and how wee may resist these temptations pag. 32 How it tempteth by aduersitie and of the meanes whereby wee may resist these temptations 34 CHAP. VII Of the flesh what it is and how we may subdue it 39 CHAP. VIII Of Sathans policie and how we may defeate it 40 CHAP. IX Of the spirituall armour described Eph. 6.44 CHAP. X. Of the particular parts of the Christian armour and first of the girdle of veritie 48 CHAP. XI Of the breastplate of righteousnesse 51 CHAP. XII Of the preparation of the Gospell of peace 54 CHAP. XIII Of the shield of faith and what is meant by quenching Sathans darts 55 CHAP. XIIII Of the helmet of saluation 57 CHAP. XV. Of the sword of the spirit and how we must vse it in the conflict of temptations 59 CHAP. XVI Of prayer and the necessitie thereof in the spirituall conflict 64 Of the properties required in prayer 65 Of watchfulnes in prayer 67 Of perseuerance in prayer Where is also shewed why the Lord delaieth to grant the petitions of his children 69 CHAP. XVII Of Sathans stratagems First how he fitteth his temptations according to our affections and naturall inclinations and how we may defeate this policie 72 CHAP. XVIII How Sathan fitteth his temptations according to our state and condition And how we may withstand these temptations 78 How Sathan tempteth professors of religion whose profession is only in shew 82 How he tempteth the sincere
substance in the proper and speciall truth than in the common and generall and though in one place they do not so cleere the truth as they should yet they doe it in many other And therefore let not Sathan perswade vs to neglect the Scriptures because there are wants and imperfections in the translations for if we studie and meditate euen in the meanest and conforme and frame our liues according to that trueth which wee learne out of them wee shall attaine vnto euerlasting life and happinesse Men doe not vse to neglect their businesse because by reason of some cloude the sunne doth not shine vpon them in his full brightnesse for that light which they inioy is sufficient though not so gloriously bright as when it shineth in his full cleerenesse so we must not neglect the conforming of our selues to the Scriptures because we cannot see them shine in their own glorious brightnesse as they were penned by the inspiration of the holy Ghost in the originall language for as well may a painter expresse in his table with artificiall colours the glory of the Sunne as any man liuing can expresse that perfect beautie and diuine glory which shineth in the naturall phrase of holy Scriptures in a translation but rather wee are to inioy the benefit of this glorious shining Sunne of Gods word though the brightnesse bee as it were vayled and somewhat shadowed with the cloude of another language for notwithstanding through it they shine and afford vs such light as may be sufficient to guide and direct vs in the waies of holinesse and righteousnesse which will bring vs in the end to eternall glory and endlesse felicity CHAP. XXIII Sathans temptations taken from the euill liues of the Ministers answered § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning the obiections which Sathan maketh against the Scriptures themselues That Sathan by disgracing the ministers seeketh to disgrace their ministerie also to the end hee may make men neglect to heare and reade them But if this will not preuaile then hee leaueth to disgrace the word it selfe and seeketh by discrediting the Ministers thereof to make them to contemne their Ministerie and to this ende hee vseth all his skill to draw them into some grosse and scandalous sinne and to neglect that doctrine themselues which they teach vnto others shewing in their liues and conuersations neither zeale of Gods glorie nor desire of their neighbors good and when he hath attained vnto his purpose in some he thinketh it a sufficient ground for the slaunder of all and a notable foundation whereupon he may builde a most pernitious temptation Art thou so foolish will he say as to thinke all Gospell which the ministers teach that all truth commeth from their mouthes that there is not a more easie way of attaining to euerlasting life then that which they shew vnto thee why do but looke vpon themselues and thoushalt finde their liues farre dissonant from their words that whilest they exhort thee to stricktnes they take their libertie whilest they disswade thee from taking thy pleasure affecting honors setting thy heart vpon riches themselues in the meane time are as voluptuous ambitious and couetous as any other and whilest they indeauour to make sinne to appeare vnto thee as blacke as hell themselues imbrace it with pleasure and delight as though it were the ioy of heauen Who therefore can imagine that they thinke as they speake or that they are perswaded that heauen gate is so straight and the way so troublesome and hard to finde as they goe about to perswade thee seeing themselues take the least paines in walking in this way which they prescribe vnto others Or if it be the truth which they teach then surely they are not worth the hearing who in their liues deny this truth which in their words they professe for what hope canst thou haue that it will be powerfull to worke grace in thee seeing it hath no power to worke it in themselues or that they can perswade thee to that holines to which themselues are not perswaded § Sect. 2 And thus doth Sathan seeke to keepe men from hearing of Gods word The answere to the former temptation that so being weakned and hungerstarued for want of this heauenly Manna he may vanquish them at the first onset and leade them captiue vnto all sinne and being still hudwinckt with the thicke vaile of ignorance he may leade them the direct way to hell and vtter destruction and therefore it behoueth euery one to arme themselues that so they may beate backe the violence of this temptation First therefore Ministers subiect to all humaine imperfection whereas he saith that the ministers speak not as they think because they do not as the speak we are to know for the answering of this temptation that ministers are subiect to the same corruptions and infirmities which are incident vnto other men and though they are called in the scriptures Angels in respect that they are Gods messengers to bring and publish the glad tidings of the Gospell yet are they not Angels in respect of their puritie and perfection but as they are flesh and blood subiect to all humane frailtie as they are borne in sinne and defiled with originall corruption so are they as prone as others to fall into al actuall transgressions if the Lord restraine them not Neither must we imagine that learning and knowledge doe indue men with sanctification and the sauing graces of Gods spirit for then we might attaine vnto them by our studie labour and industrie whereas the Scriptures teach vs that they are Gods free gifts which hee bestoweth on whom he will then it would follow that hee who is indued with most knowledge and learning should also haue most grace and sanctification whereas our owne experience teacheth vs that many of the greatest Doctors of the world spend their liues in all voluptuous pleasures and licentiousnesse What then doe these men teach one thing and beleeue another Surely it may be the case of many for faith commeth not by varietie of knowledge neither is it tied to learning but it is the free gift of God bestowed as well yea and as often also vpon the simple fisherman as vpon the learned Pharisie and therefore though they haue such great learning and knowledge that they are able to instruct others and defend the truth against all opposers yet may they be as hard hearted and full of infidelitie as the most ignorant and sottish in the world Shall then their hardnesse of heart and infidelitie moue vs to call the truth of God which they deliuer into question as though it were a matter doubtfull whether it is the word of God or no God forbid Nay let God be true and euerie man a liar For their owne consciences are conuinced of this truth though not perswaded and the Lord hath giuen them eies to see it though not hearts to beleeue it to the end that the praise of our saluation
tedious If the oxe whilest he is yong be accustomed to the yoke hee draweth in it quietly and with no great paine but if he runne long in the pasture vnbroken and vntamed when he is brought to the yoke he strugleth and striueth and therewith gaulling his necke draweth with exceeding payne and irksomenesse and so if in our youth we accustome ourselues to beare the yoke of obedience it wil be easie and pleasant but if we vse delayes we shall grow stubborne and stifnecked like vntamed oxen and the bearing of Christs yoke through our impaciencie and the rebellion of our nature will gaule and vexe vs. Thirdly the sooner wee turne vnto God the more ioy peace and comfort shall we haue in the whole course of our liues for what ioy may bee compared with the ioy in the holy Ghost Pro. 15.15 what peace is like the peace with God the peace of conscience when as we are sure that we are now friends who before we were enemies and children of God and heires of his euerlasting kingdome of glory who in time past were children of wrath and fire brands of hell what comfort in the world can be imagined like vnto the consolation of Gods spirit which is able to make all afflictions light and euen death it selfe sweet and pleasant vnto vs but this ioy peace comfort doe all companie our true conuersion vnto God and therefore who would deferre it for one day seeing it bringeth such inestimable benefits and such surpassing pleasures as none sufficiently vnderstand them but they who feele inioy them Whereas on the other side if we deferre our cōuersion in the meane while wee are continually subiect to the checkes and terrours of an euill conscience in feare of Gods iudgements and eternall damnation and though in outward shewe wee may bee exceeding merie and pleasant yet our mirth is ful of sorrow and our ioy of bitternes and of such laughter wee may say thou art madde and of this ioy what is that which thou doest as the Wise man speaketh Eccle 2.2 for it is but Sardonicus risus laughter from the teeth outward which is straight controuled with some inward pange or checke of conscience Fourthly the sooner wee turne vnto the Lord the longer time we shall spend in his seruice which in truth is perfect liberty now what can bee more delightful vnto any Christian heart then to serue our creatour from the daies of our youth to shew our thankfulnesse to God our redeemer for all the inestimable benefits which he hath bestowed vpon vs by causing our lights to shine before men and by glorifying his name in our godly Christian liues what can be more pleasing to a thankfull mind then to take all occasions of expressing thankfulfulnesse to him vnto whom we are so much bounden Lastly as by our speedy conuersion vnto God we liue in sweete comfort and ioyfull peace so also wee securely expect death and giue it entertainement when it commeth with cheerefull countenance for being conuerted vnto God we are at peace with him and in his loue and fauour wee are assured that the curse of the law is nayled to Christes crosse that he was condemned that we might be iustified and put to death that wee might liue eternally that he is gone before vs into heauen to prepare vs a place there and now sitteth at the right hand of his father to giue vs ioyfull entertainement when we come vnto him that he hath taken away the sting of death which is sinne and hath made a soueraigne medicine against this poyson with his precious bloud and therefore being conuerted vnto God we need not to feare death nay rather wee may wishe with the Apostle to be speedily dissolued that we may be with Christ seeing that is best of all As it is Phil. 1.23 neyther need wee to feare the destruction of this earthly tabernacle seeing wee are assured that we haue a building giuen vs of God a house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens as it is 2. Cor. 5.1 Moreouer we shall not need to feare either suddaine death or an euill death for it cannot be suddaine to them who are alwaies prepared Nee potest malè mori qui benè vixit August neither can he die ill who hath liued well On the other side those who deferre their repentance and turning vnto God when death approcheth are filled with horrour feare when as they see that they are still subiect to the curse of the law and euery minute in danger of Gods fearfull iudgements when as the waight of sin presseth them Sathan and their owne conscience accuseth them death waiteth on them to bring them to euerlasting death hell and destruction And therefore seeing so many benefits accompanie our speedy conuersion both in life and death and so many euils follow our delayes let vs not be moued by Sathans tentations the sweetenesse of sinne nor with the alluring vanities of this deceitfull world to deferre our repentance from day to day but let vs now harken whilest God yet calleth vs and take the good and acceptable time when he offereth it vnto vs. § Sect. 4 The eight motiue to perswade vs to speedy conuersion The 8. motiue because repentance deferred to olde age is not so excellent or acceptable is that our turning vnto God being deferred to our olde age or till the time wee lie sicke on our deathbeddes is not so excellent in it one nature nor so acceptable vnto God as if it were performed in the time of our youth for what great matter is it if wee leaue our sinnes when they are readie to leaue vs to renounce the world with the riches honoures and pleasures thereof when they are readie to abandon vs to imbrace mortification when as our bodies are mortified with sickenesse and brought to the gates of death to giue to the pore when wee can keepe our goods no longer to forgiue our enemies when as we can not offer them any further wrong or violence to cōmend our wiues and children into the hands of God when as we our selues can no longer defend and prouide for them to cease to sweare and blaspheme Godes name when as soone after wee shall cease to speake moreouer how can wee thinke that this will be acceptable vnto God when as wee doe not come vnto him before all the world forsakes vs nor craue his helpe till wee are abandoned of all other succour nor offer to come into his seruice before wee are ready to goe out of the worlde and that rather for feare of punishment and hope of reward then for any loue we beare to our Lord and maister But let it be granted as in trueth it cannot bee denied that whensoeuer wee truely repent vs of our sinnes and turne vnto God he wil receiue vs to mercy should wee take occasion hereof to deferre our conuersion and to continue in our sinnes should his loue and mercy towardes
owne sense and feeling hee apprehended nothing but Gods wrath and grieuous displeasure and lamentably complaineth as a man abandoned and cast out of all loue and fauour My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee which words shewe both Christs affiance in God and his present apprehension in his sense and feeling for in respect of his affiance and trust in God hee calleth him still his God in respect of his sense and feeling hee complaineth that he is forsaken Whereby it is manifest that a man may be dearely beloued of God and yet for a time apprehend nothing but his wrath and displeasure that hee may haue faith and affiance in God yet at the same time be depriued of all sense and feeling of his loue and fauour And therefore when wee are excercised in the combate of tentations let not sathan perswade vs that we are vtterly depriued of the loue fauour of God because through the violence of his tentations and greeuousnesse of our afflictions we do not apprehend it nor that we are destitute of faith and all other spirituall graces because we doe not sensibly discerne them in our feeling for this hath beene the state of the deare children of God from the beginning of the world and shall bee to the ende thereof CHAP. XLV Of the meanes whereby our faith may be strengthened and increased § Sect. 1 ANd so much concerning those reasons whereby we may proue that we haue faith That all who are indued with true faith vse the means wherby it may bee increased and also answere Sathans tentations whereby hee laboureth to perswade vs that we are destitute thereof The second meanes whereby we may arme our selues against Sathan and his suggestions is that we most earnestly labour and indeauour after we haue found that wee haue some faith to increase therein and grow vp from saith to saith vntill we come to that fulnesse of perswasion which will bring such peace of conscience as Sathan and all his tentations shall not be able to disturbe Otherwise we shall bee continually subiect to feares and doubtings and exceedingly shaken with Sathans tentations and in truth not without cause if wee stand still at a state for howsoeuer Sathan and all the power of hell cannot preuaile against the least measure of true faith to quench and vtterly to destroy it yet this will bring no sound comfort vnto those which rest contented with this little quantitie and neuer labour after increase because this is a shrewd presumption that their faith is false and counterfaite for assoone as the seede of true faith is sowne in vs and hath taken roote it sprooteth vp and till it come to full ripenesse in which respect our Sauiour cōpareth it to agraine of mustard seed which though it be one of the least seeds of the garden yet it groweth to a great tree Neither in truth is it possible that any who haue tasted of true faith and of those inestimable benefits which it assureth vs of should content themselues with a smal pittance and neuer labour after more for who is it that hauing tasted and eaten a little bit of some delitious meate doth not with a hungring appetite desire more till he be filled and satisfied who is it that hath any weake title and assurance of some goodly inheritance doth not earnestly desire and vse all good lawfull means whereby his title may be strengthened and his assurance confirmed and can wee thinke that any haue truely tasted of faith and the excellent benefits which accompany it as namely assurance of Gods loue and the remission of our sinnes peace of conscience ioy in the holy Ghost who content themselues with a little modicum and neuer hunger after more or can we imagine that wee haue any small title or true assurance of those vnspeakeable ioyes of Gods kingdome and that vnluable patrimonie of euerlasting glory if we neuer vse means to confirme our title and strengthen our assurance Surely it is impossible and therefore if we would haue any sound comfort and peace of conscience if wee would euer attaine to a certaine perswasion that wee haue true faith indeed let vs vse most carefully and diligently all good meanes whereby wee may strengthen and confirme our faith vntill it grow from a small seed to a great tree which will bring foorth plentifull fruits of godlinesse and righteousnesse and vntill it waxe of a small sparke vnto a great flame which will throughly warme our harts with true comfort which are naturally frozen with feare and doubting for howsoeuer Sathan cannot quench the least sparke of liuely faith yet he will so couer it with the ashes of his tentations that we shall neither discerne the light nor feele the heate thereof § Sect. 2 Now the means which we are thus carefully to vse are of two sorts The 1. meanes to increase faith is the diligent hearing Gods word the first tending to the encreasing and strengthening of our faith the other seruing to preserue vs from doubting and desperation The meanes to strengthen and increase our faith are diuers the first is the frequent and attentiue hearing of Gods word for as this is the ordinarie meanes whereby faith is begotten and begunne in vs so is it a chiefe meanes to strengthen and confirme it as it is that liuely seed from which faith doth spring so is it that heauenly dewe whereby it is watered and increased from a little plant to a great tree and therefore as it is not sufficient for a fruitfull haruest that the blade or branch should sproute vp vnlesse it bee watred continually with sweete dew and showers from heauen and so preserued from dying and withering so if euer we meane to reape the ripe fruits of faith to our euerlasting comfort wee must bee carefull that not onely it take rooting and bring foorth a blade of an outward profession but also that it may be watered with this heauenly dew of Gods word otherwise when the sunne of affliction and persecution ariseth it will die and wither The 2. means meditation in Gods word The second meanes to strengthen our faith is diligently to read and mediate in Gods word especially the Gospell wherein is contained those sweete and gratious promisses which are made in definitely vnto all who repent of their sins and beleeue in Iesus Christ resting and relying vpō him alone for their saluation And to this purpose our Sauiour willeth the Iewes to search the Scriptures Ioh 5.39 because they are they which testifie of him Ioh. 5.39 And hereby Dauid saith that hee was comforted in his troubles euen quickned when he was dead Psal 119.50 Psal 119.50 The 3. means holy conferece The third meanes is holy conference with our godly brethren for hereby those which are falling are confirmed and the wearie handes and weake knees strengthened as Eliphas speaketh Iob. 43.4 Iob. 4.3.4 And those who are weake in faith are comforted and established